Sound-conveying tube for talking-machines.



R A BOSWELL SOUND CONVEYING TUBE FOR TALKING MAGHINESY APPLIUATION FILEDAUG. 3, 1909. 95 1,998.,

Patented Mar.15,1910.

WM I IIIIII lullllllulll ROBERT A. BOSWELL, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OFCOLUMBIA.

SOUND-CONVEYING TUBE FOR TALKING-MACHINES.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT A. BOSWELL, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Washington city, District of Columbia, haveinvented a new and useful Sound-Conveying Tube for Talking-Machines.

The invention about to be set forth and claimed belongs to the art ofacoustics, and it particularly pertains to a new and usefulsound-conveying tube having a. joint located at a point between the freeends thereof, and adapted for use upon talking machines and the like;and the object of the invention is to improve and simplify the structureshown, set forth and claimed in the Patent No. 859,165.

A further object of the invention is to provide an amplifying hornhaving a flexible ball joint breaking at a point between the free endsthereof, said ball having means to be engaged by the parts of theamplifying horn, for the purpose of retaining them in their propercorrelative positions, and in order to allow them to have universalmovements.

A further object of the invention is to i provide the ball and one ofthe parts of the amplifying horn with means, by which the said parts maybe held in raised positions, as desired.

In the exposition of this specification, a particular design of machineis adhered to but the invention is not to be confined to this specialdesign. Its reduction to practice may require certain changes and alter.tions which the right is claimed to make, provided such changes andalterations are comprehended by the appended claims.

Vith the above described objects in view as well as others hereinafterset forth, the invention consists in the construction and combination ofelements hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a talkingmachine, showing an amplifying horn having a flexible ball jointbreaking at a point between the free ends thereof. Fig. 2 is a verticalsectional view through the flexible ball joint, showing parts of theamplifying horn connected to the ball. Fig. 3 is a perspectiveSpecification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 3, 1909.

Serial No. 51 1,043.

view of the upper half or part of the amplifying horn, showing thespherical flange to engage the ball of the joint. Fig. 4 is aperspective view of the lower half of the amplifying horn, or, in otherwords, the reproducer arm, also having a spherical flange to engage saidball.

In the drawings, 1 denotes the casing of a talking machine, containingthe usual mechanism, (not shown) for rotating the tabl carrying therecord.

2 is a bracket secured to one side of the casing for supporting theamplifying horn 3.

The amplifying horn comprises the horn proper t and the reproducer arm5, which are joined together by the flexible ball oint 6. To the end 7of the reproducer arm is attached the usual sound box 8, while the rearportion of the reproducer arm is provided with an upwardly curved elbow9, to the upper end of which a spherical flange 10 is formed.

The amplifying horn proper is of the usual form having at the endopposite its flaring mouth an elbow 11, to the lower portion of which aspherical flange 12 is formed (which is similar to the flange 10); theseflanges 10 and 12 are designed to engage separate bearings 13 and 14 ofthe spherical bearing member 15, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Thisspherical bearing member or ball is provided with a central verticalbore or sound duct 16, which is designed to register (at times) with thesound ducts 17 and 18 of the amplifying horn proper and the reproducerarm. This spherical member may be integrally connected with the bracket,as shown in Fig. 1, or it may be a separate member detachably secured tothe bracket 2, as shown clearly in Fig. 2, by means of a screw or othermeans 19, which penetrates through the upper part of the bracket andinto the said member, as clearly shown. This spherical member or ball 15is provided above and below with annular shoulders 20 and 21, which aredesigned to be engaged by the lips 22 and 23, which are formed with thespherical flanges 10 and 12. When the spherical flanges 10 and 12 areconnected to the spherical member or ball, as shown clearly in Figs. 1and 2, the lips 22 and 23 are arranged upon opposite sides Patented Mar.15, 1910)..

of said spherical bearing member or ball, in order to maintain theamplifying horn proper and the reproducer arm in connec tion with thesaid spherical member or ball, and in their proper correlativepositions. The portion of the spherical bearing member or balldesignated by the numeral 24:, and between the annular shoulders 20 and21, has its surface concentric with the center of the member or ball andthe separate bearing surfaces 13 and 14: thereof.

Upon the rear portion of the surface between the said annular shouldersare formed shoulders 25 and 26, which are designed for the purpose ofbeing engaged by the lip 22 of the flange 12, when it is desired to holdthe amplifying horn proper in various raised positions, as shown clearlyin dotted lines in Fig. 2. To dispose the amplifying horn proper in theposition shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, the said horn is swungdirectly at right angles to that shown in Fig. 2, and then slightlyraised, thence returned to the position shown in dotted lines, whichposition is approximately in vertical alinement with the position seenin full lines, as Will be clearly manifest.

When the reproducer arm is being slightly raised, for the purpose ofchanging the record, or changing the needle of the sound box, a suitablespring member 27 is provided, as shown in Fig. 2, to hold the flange 10reasonably in close contact with the lower bearing surface 18 of thesaid member 15, in order to prevent displacement of the said arm. Thismember 27 maybe made of any suitable metal, so long as it affordsrigidity, suificient to hold the reproducer arm in a raised position. Toinsure this feature of the invention, the said member 27 or the flange10, or both, may be provided with roughened surfaces, as shown at 28 inFig. 2.

In Fig. 4: the roughened surface 28 is dispensed with, as will beobserved, and in Fig. 1 the member 27 is also not shown.

In Fig. 1, the shoulders 25 and 26 are dispensed with, and on theforward portion of the surface between the annular shoulders 20 and 21,a shoulder 29 is provided, which may be engaged by the lip 23 of theflange 10, when it is desired to support the reproducer arm in a raisedposition. This structure of device materially facilitates the connectionof the amplifying horn proper and the reproducer arm (which is thefundamen tal principle and the object of this invention); for instance,an operator may connect the amplifying horn and the reproducer armsimultaneously to the spherical member by holding the amplifying hornproper in one hand and the reproducer arm in the other hand, anddisposing these parts in an inclined position (while the flanges 10 and12 are in close proximity to the spherical member or ball 15) so thatthe lips 22 and 23 are somewhat adjacent the annular shoulders 20 and21, and in contact with the surfaces between the said shoulders, afterwhich the amplifying horn proper and the reproducer arm are graduallylowered to the positions shown in full lines in Fig. 2, as will beclearly apparent.

From the foregoing, the essential features, elements and the operationof the device, together with the simplicity thereof, will be clearlyapparent.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new anduseful is 1. A reproducer arm and horn; a spherical member havingseparate bearing surfaces and provided with means between the bearingsurfaces to be engaged by the reproducer arm and horn in order to bemaintained in position.

2. A spherical bearing member having annular shoulders; a reproducer armand horn having means to engage said shoulders.

3. A. spherical bearing member having annular shoulders; a reproducerarm and horn having means to engage said shoulders; said member havingmeans to support the horn in a raised position.

4. A spherical bearing member having annular shoulders; a reproducer armand horn having means to engage said shoulders; said member having meansto support the arm in a raised position.

5. A spherical bearing member having annular shoulders; a reproducer armand horn having lips to engage said shoulders.

6. A reproducer arm and horn having spherical members provided withlips; a spherical bearing member having means to be engaged by saidlips.

7 An amplifying horn comprising a reproducer arm and horn; a flexiblebail oint therebetween; said ball having annular shoulders; saidreproducer arm and horn having means to engage said shoulders; saidjoint having means to support the arm and horn in various raisedpositions.

8. An amplifying horn; a flexible ball joint breaking at a point betweenits free ends and provided with means to be engaged by the adjacentconnected ends of the horn; said joint having means to support theadjacent connected ends in various raised positions.

9. A talking machine; a reproducer arm and horn therefor; a flexibleball joint connected therebetween; said reproducer arm and horn havingspherical members provided with lips; said ball having means to beengaged by said lips; said joint having means to support the arm andhorn in various raised positions.

10. A talking machine; a reproducer arm and horn therefor; a flexibleball joint 0011- In Witness whereof, the applicants signectedtherebetween; said reproducer arm nature, is hereunto aflixed in thepresence of and horn having spherical members pro- 1 two witnesses.

Vided with lips; said ball having annular ROBERT A. BOSWELL. 5 shouldersto be engaged by said lips; said lVitnesses:

joint having means to support the arm and G. PERCY MCGHEE,

horn in various raised positions. GEORGE I. BORGER.

